The Meaning of a Life
by Jaina22
Summary: Through the ages mortals have been told to 'remember that you will die' (memento mori). Now it is Aragorn's turn to be reminded, and it's not a pretty lesson.
1. Homeward Bound

Aragorn raced through the forests on the outskirts of Rivendell. He'd been sent from Gondor with messages that needed to be delivered to both Mirkwood and Rivendell. He didn't know what the messages contained, but he thought they had something to do with the new orc threat and the upcoming war with Mordor. It seemed like that was all that was on the Steward's mind lately. Everyone in Gondor was talking about the increased orc activity and the fact that dark creatures seemed to have grown very bold in the past few months. Most, the Steward included, felt as if the orcs were planning something. That was why letters had been sent out to the elvin realms. Aragorn figured that the Steward was asking for either aid or counsel.

In truth, Aragorn didn't care that the message he was carrying was terribly important. No, he was just glad that he was finally returning to his home in Rivendell. He had traveled to many distant places while in the wild, but he hadn't had the chance to visit Imladris since becoming a Captain of Gondor. Aragorn smiled as he remembered the many memories he had acquired over the past years. However, none of these memories compared to the ones he had of his childhood. 

Sighing, Aragorn pulled on the reigns to slow his horse as they entered a rather narrow path that required a lessened pace. He was now very close to Rivendell and he could vaguely hear the river flowing in the distance. He took a deep breath of the cool air, and was glad of the knowledge that he would be sleeping in his own bed in Rivendell. Aragorn held back a joyous laugh and began to sing a tune he had learned as a child.

_The leaves were long, the grass was green, _

_The hemlock-umbels tall and fair,_

_And in the glade a light was seen_

_Of stars in shadow shimmering. _Aragorn continued to sing loudly and cheerily all the way through to the last part of the song. 

_O'er stony mountains cold and grey, _

_Through halls of iron and darkling door, _

_And wood of nightshade morrowless._

_The __Sundering__Seas__ between them lay,_

_And yet at last they met once more,_

_And long ago they passed away,_

_In the forest singing sorrowless.___

Aragorn's face was beaming for he couldn't wait to see everyone again. He missed his father terribly, not to mention his brothers and Glorfindel. He even missed Erestor a little, but only a little. He happily began planning out exactly what he was going to do once he reached the Last Homely House. He thought he'd better bathe first, for he probably smelled terrible. After that, though, he was going to go to the kitchens and eat to his heart's content, and then he was going to visit the Hall of Fire and sing and dance until he could no longer stand. When he had reached that point, he figured he would stumble up to his room and sleep in his bed, the bed he hadn't had the pleasure of lying in for a very long time. He was still pondering whether or not he would have the energy to undress before climbing into bed, when the hairs on the back of his neck rose.

Aragorn's senses immediately went on high alert, but he couldn't see or hear anything. In fact, he couldn't hear anything at all. All the noise in the forest had vanished. Aragorn silently cursed his inattention to his surrounding as he unsheathed his sword. The ringing sound it made reverberated through the woods. Something definitely wasn't right, but Aragorn couldn't put a finger on it. He felt danger, but it wasn't the immediate kind of danger he felt when orcs or goblins were about. No, this danger was more elusive, and less obvious. For a brief moment Aragorn wondered if he was just getting an eerie feeling as a result of the forest being so silent. He stood up on his mount and tried to peer around his surroundings as his horse continued to move forward slowly.

Frowning, Aragorn moved his head from left to right, scanning the foliage. Nothing seemed obviously amiss. He was just about to sit back down on his saddle, and ride hard the rest of the way to Rivendell when he felt his horse trip slightly. Knowing how sure footed his horse normally was, Aragorn was about to look down at the path to see what had been on the ground when he felt a huge force plow into his left side.

"Oof," He cried out as he was thrown off his horse. On instinct, he moved his arms up to cushion his fall, but realized his left arm wouldn't listen to his command. Just as he thought he would hit the ground, his right foot twisted unmercifully in the stirrup it was in. Instead of hitting the grass with his whole body, Aragorn swung from his right foot and clipped his temple hard on a rock at the edge of the path. The impact sent him into a deep oblivion.

TBC…

I took the song Aragorn sung from the book. I hope that doesn't bother anyone.

Okay I've tried this before, but now I have a little more time and a better idea of where I want to go with this. I have a very very very rough outline, and the way it's planned right now this story should end up being about 13 chapters long. I'm going to try to update at least once a week, but that's all relative. If I have a lot of time on I could get a few chapters out in one week, but if I'm stuck and I'm busy it could take longer. I'm hoping the average is a week though. That's one thing I've noticed about the LotR category. You guys are all really good about reviewing and updating, and that's awesome! Pat yourselves on the back, no just kidding, that sounds stupid. Oh yah, and if you have the time pleaz review. It'll make my day, even if it's just criticism, and it'll give me more motiviation. Thanks for reading!

Also, I'd like to thank grumpy, Nietta, and tychen for reviewing this story the first time around.


	2. Glorfindel's Find

Linthan, one of the Rivendell's guards, was on his regular rounds when he happened to stumble across a rider less horse that seemed to be heading in the general direction of Imladris. He thought this was quite odd, so he decided to intervene. Walking over to the brown animal, he noticed that the horse wasn't as rider less as he had first imagined. The rider was not sitting atop the animal, but his right ankle was caught in the stirrup and he was being slowly dragged.

"Daro!" Linthan commanded the instant he saw the poor man being dragged by the horse.

The animal halted immediately and turned its gaze to Linthan. The elf then walked carefully toward the animal began to pet it soothingly. The horse neighed again and nudged Linthan, and he could tell that the animal wanted the elf to help its charge. Smiling at the loyalty of the creature, Linthan realized that the horse had been dragging its fallen rider to Rivendell in order to help the man. The animal had set such a slow pace, not because it was lost, but because it didn't want to injure the man it dragged. Linthan briefly wondered what the poor man who hung from the stirrup had done to warrant such loyalty, but he quickly put the thought away and went to offer what help he could. When he got closer to the unfortunate mortal, he gasped. The man was much younger than he had first thought. The unconscious face that greeted him was one without lines or wrinkles. It was akin to the face of an elf, so Linthan figured that this mortal was just a boy. He couldn't have possibly known that the man he beheld was Aragorn and that the only reason he appeared so young was because of the Numeron blood that flowed through his veins. No, Linthan didn't know, so he just frowned and quickly went to work freeing the boy's foot from the stirrup. Linthan then mounted the brown horse with the mortal and took off toward Imladris.

Glorfindel huffed in frustration. He had been looking for Erestor for the past hour and he was beginning to think the advisor was purposely avoiding him. Every elf he had stopped to ask hadn't seen Erestor in the last day, week, or year even. It was the elf that told him a year that made Glorfindel start to believe that Erestor didn't want to be found by him. Why, however, was a totally different question, although he had been told that he was "becoming exceedingly hard to deal with as of late". Glorfindel figured that was probably the reason Erestor was avoiding him, so he searched all the more.

The blonde elf lord exited the library for the third time that day, and decided he needed to take a different approach to his search. Glorfindel tried to put himself in Erestor's shoes and think about where he would go if he wanted to avoid himself. Finding this whole train of thought quite confusing, he sat down on a bench in the hall.

"If I was Erestor," He mumbled to himself, "and I was looking for me I would go to…hmm…either the Halls of Healing or the Hall of Fire. Yes, I am sure that is where I would go."

Determined to find Erestor, Glorfindel set off toward the Hall of Fire. He quieted his step once he got close and attempted to sneak into room. It turned out his efforts of startling Erestor were in vain, though, for the elf was nowhere to be seen in the room. Glorfindel let out a growl of frustration, which ended up startling a young elf lazing about on one of the couches. Glorfindel didn't care nor feel the need to explain his outburst so he left quickly and hoped that his next destination would yield better results.

The elf lord arrived at the Halls of Healing and rushed in, hoping to catch Erestor off guard. However, Glorfindel soon realized that the elf he was in search of was nowhere in sight. This time Glorfindel managed to somewhat hold back his exasperated sigh, but one of the younger healers next to him still gave him a funny look.

"What?" He asked sharply.

When the healer flinched away from his cutting remark, Glorfindel asked in a softer tone of voice, "Did you happen to see Erestor come by here?"

A look of realization crossed the healer's face before he acquired an interest in his feet.

Seeing the expression, Glorfindel pressed, "Well? Did you? I have been looking for him all day."

"Um," the healer stuttered, "I am not supposed to say, milord."

"You are not supposed to say?" Glorfindel growled.

Paling, the healer turned his head from side to side as if looking for a way out. It was then that Glorfindel realized that it wasn't the healer's fault Erestor was acting like an elfling, and that the healer was probably just following directions. Glorfindel didn't know how he would react if two different elf lords had told him to do two different things.

"Look um…" Glorfindel spoke with civility.

"Kyden," the healer supplied.

"Kyden," Glorfindel repeated before continuing in slight exaggeration, "I have been looking for Erestor for the whole day. I really need to find him because I am in dire need of his council. If I do not find him, I shudder to think of the effect it could have on this beautiful city. The fate of Imladris lies in your hands!"

"Oh stop it Glorfindel," Came another voice. "The poor boy is not stupid enough to believe that drivel. He does have a brain. He is a healer after all, not a warrior."

"Celi," Glorfindel greeted as he turned his gaze to the newcomer. "Boy? I do believe he is older than you."

Celi scoffed and with a wave of her hand dismissed Kyden. Celi was the youngest healer of them all. However, she was one of the best, which was how she had acquired one of the ten Head Healer positions at her very young age. She was also one of the most stubborn and audacious healers Glorfindel had ever met, which made him like her all the more, or in most cases, despise her all the more.

"Erestor did come by here," Celi supplied, "and he did tell all of us to keep quiet about it."

"Did he say where he was going?" Glorfindel asked, finally relieved someone was actually admitting to seeing who he had been looking for.

"Nope," Celi replied. "Although he did warn us to watch out for a, and I believe his exact words were, 'crazy blonde elf'. I suppose he meant you."

Glorfindel groaned and threw himself into a nearby chair, exhausted by his fruitless search.

"I give up," He moaned. "It is not worth all this work. He can have this day to himself if it so pleases him. I will search for him no more."

Celi chuckled at Glorfindel's short soliloquy before another very young healer came and tapped her on the shoulder. Glorfindel couldn't help but wonder briefly why it seemed like everyone on duty in the Houses of Healing was barely older than an elfling.

"Celi," The new healer said, "Amras just finished stitching up the forehead of that mortal. He was wondering if you were going to finish looking over the boy's other wounds."

Glorfindel's ears perked at the words mortal, boy, and wounds.

"I will in just a minute," Celi replied. "I am just finishing here."

Idril just nodded in compliance and turned to leave.

"What is this I hear about a mortal?" Glorfindel asked curiously.

"Oh, it's nothing. One of the guards dragged in some human he found in the woods. I was just going to get some fresh bandages when I stumbled upon the scene you were making."

"Scene?" Glorfindel asked in mock indignation. "I was not making a scene. Elf lords do not make scenes."

Celi rolled her eyes, "Of course. Although, since I cannot tell whether or not you are truly an elf lord, perhaps you were making a scene."

"You forget your place tithen pen," Glorfindel said in absolute seriousness.

Celi turned bright red in the cheeks and bowed in respect before apologizing, "I-I am sorry, milord. I was too bold."

Glorfindel just waved his hand flippantly in a gesture that meant all was forgiven and forgotten before asking, "Now, about this mortal… Who is he?"

Still slightly pink from embarrassment, Celi replied in absolute formality, "I do not know, milord. Like I said before, one of the younger guards brought him in. He carried no form of identification, just a letter addressed to Lord Elrond."

"A messenger then," Glorfindel said more to himself than to Celi, but she still nodded in assent. "What does he look like?"

"He has brown hair that is long, well for a human anyway. He is…I should just show you."

Glorfindel nodded and Celi led him to the bed where the mortal lay. When he got there, Glorfindel's eyes went wide. The man that lay before him was one he hadn't seen in almost ten years, and yet he still looked just as young as he had the last time the elf lord had placed eyes on him.

"Estel," Glorfindel whispered softly, and all his previous thoughts of finding Erestor were obliterated.

"What did you say?" Celi asked, and then hastily added, "Milord."

"I said Estel," Glorfindel said, truly angry for the first time that day. "Why is the son of Elrond lying in this bed? Why was I not informed?"

Celi went white as a sheet and looked from Glorfindel to the mortal lying in bed and then back to Glorfindel again.

"Estel? The Estel? The mortal son of Elrond?" she asked timidly, fearful of unleashing the great elf lord's anger down upon her.

"Yes, the Estel. Did you not recognize him? Did no one recognize him? He has not changed a bit since the day he left!"

"I-I have never met him."

"Surely someone else would have recognized him! Who brought him in? You said one of my guards brought him in. Who was it?"

"Linthan," Celi said softly. "Linthan brought him here, milord."

Glorfindel sighed, trying to release himself of the anger that boiled within him. It wasn't Celi's or Linthan's fault they hadn't recognized Estel. They were both very young, so neither of them had ever met Estel, although it was surprising they had never seen him. He couldn't be angry with them for something that was of no fault of their own.

"It is not your fault," Glorfindel said as he rubbed a hand across his eyes. "Just have him brought up to his room."

"And um…where is that?"

Glorfindel closed his eyes in impatience before replying, "Never mind. I'll take him there myself."

The blonde elf carefully picked up the young human.

"But milord, he still needs to be-"

"Go back to work Celi," Glorfindel dismissed in a tone that left no room for argument.

Celi bowed and quickly left.

Glorfindel then took Estel to his room and carefully placed him in his bed, the bed he hadn't slept in in nearly a decade. The advisor then went to Elrond's study to steal what the twins called "the big comfy chair" so he'd be able to sit comfortably by Estel's bedside until the mortal awoke.

Thanks to my reviewers - sielge, Elensar32, and Boromir. I tried to update as quick as I could for you guys.


	3. Waking

Consciousness slowly returned to Aragorn, and the first thing he realized was that he was lying on something warm and soft. The second thing he realized was that he was in pain. Blinking, he turned his head and frowned when he saw the blurry outline of a blonde figure.

"Ah," the figure spoke, "I see you have awoken at last."

Aragorn winced as the sound caused the pain in his head to intensify.

"Stop yelling," he whispered hoarsely.

"I was not-," the figure started again, but immediately stopped when he saw the reaction his speaking invoked.

With a lowered voice, the blonde continued, "I was not yelling Estel."

It took Aragorn a mere moment to realize that the figure had called him Estel and not Thorongil. He sat up with a small gasp, and the movement caused something akin to Gandalf's fireworks to erupt behind his eyes. He felt his body betray him as it went limp, and he barely registered the sensation of being eased back down onto the bed.

"Relax Estel."

It was then that Aragorn realized he had been conversing in solid elvish and that the blonde's voice sounded vaguely familiar.

"Glorfindel!" Aragorn cried out in recognition, and then winced in response to his own volume.

"Aye," Glorfindel chuckled, "it is I, and you, Estel, are safe in Imladris."

"What...what happened?" Aragorn asked, suddenly unable to make sense of anything.

"What is the last thing you remember?" Glorfindel asked, immediately concerned.

"I...I-I cannot recall."

Glorfindel smiled encouragingly, "It is probably the head injury although I wish your father were here so he could make sure."

Aragorn glanced around the room and saw that his father was no where in sight. In fact, his lack of presence frightened Estel.

"Where is Ada?" Estel asked meekly. "Is he well?"

"Aye," Glorfindel assured. "He has been in Lothlorien for the last few weeks. He was actually expected to be back either today or tomorrow."

Aragorn nodded in relief before inquiring, "And my brothers?"

"They accompanied him."

Aragorn grinned when he thought of his brothers traveling with their father. He knew how Elladan and Elrohir were and he almost pitied his ada, but just almost. The young man whimsically thought about the kind of shenanigans the twins could pull when a wave of sleepiness overcame him. He tried to blink it away, but his injured body refused to relent.

Glorfindel, seeing the way Estel's eyes seemed to glaze over, smiled and said, "Do not fight it tithen pen. Just rest. It is more than likely that when you next awaken your adar will be by your side."

It was these assurances that Aragorn, now Estel, fell asleep to with the hint of a smile on his face.

Thanks for reading everyone! Sorry this update is so late, but my stupid computer's been on the fritz.

sielge - What do you mean no one knows Estel? Glorfindel knows Estel. j/k Linthan and Celi are young, so when Estel was growing up he was friends with the really young elflings, and then when he matured he was friends with the adults, so Linthan and Celi are supposed to be somewhere inbetween there. Plus, Rivendell's a pretty big city so...it could happen. ;-) Yah, maybe it's a stretch... Thanks for reviewing!

elvendancer - You like my plot?! That's so cool. I just wish I knew what my plot was. Ah, I'm just kidding, but thanks for the review!

goddesscal - I'm glad you're enjoying the story. I hope I don't disappoint. Thanks for dropping me a line!

HarperionBay - Thanks for the compliment! I e-mailed you, but if you didn't get it I'm just giving you the okay to archive any of my stories.

grumpy - Hey, I'm glad you liked the last couple of chapters. How's this one? Okay? I think I might have accidentally edited out the part in the last chapter that explained that Elrond was gone and that Glorfindel and Erestor were filling in for him. That was part of the reason why Glorfindel was looking for Erestor. Oops, but I guess I explained that in this chapter. Still, I should've caught that. Thanks for the review! Keep reading!


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